CHEATERS ON THE LAFAYETTE BRIDGE

After having placed quite a few calls to Minnesota Department of Transportation regarding poor traffic management on the Lafayette Bridge, aka Highway 52, I will now try a more public method to hopefully get some action from them.

The northbound bridge consists of three lanes, each with its own exit, so why aren’t there “ONLY” signs hanging over each lane, and why aren’t there solid, double lines well before each exit?

Each and every time I drive over the bridge, I see motorists and semis leaving the center lane only to pull in again at the last few yards. By not having the appropriate signs, those motorists have the perfect excuse for their selfish behavior: I didn’t know there was only one lane to westbound 94!

MnDOT has effectively trained motorists to do this, so consequently we have to approach the exit with dangerously little space between cars in order to keep out the cheaters, all too often resulting in fender benders or worse with subsequent back-ups.

In addition to “ONLY” signage, I would like to propose solid, double lines 1/5 mile before the exit along with signage on the median and shoulder saying “DO NOT CROSS DOUBLE LINES, Fine $250.” Install cameras and nab the offenders as they enter westbound 94.

Simply put: There is no good excuse for not doing this.

Hans Mouritzen, St. Paul

WAGING PEACE?

On Nov. 11, we’ll recognize that day as the 100th anniversary of “Veteran’s Day” — originally designated as Armistice Day. We now honor the veterans who fought and fight today instead of peace. Why should we care about something that occurred 100 years ago?

One reason is that it ended the “Great War” — a “war to end all wars.” Didn’t quite work out that way.

In 1918, after a brutal unnecessary war ignited by factions with ethnic hatred, religious differences and greed, a war where millions of soldiers, including 116,708 troops from the U.S., were killed and over 204,000 were wounded, peace was finally declared.

However, since 1918, the U.S has been almost continually at war in various parts of the world.

The military budget is now almost $700 billion (fiscal year 2017), dwarfing all other categories except Social Security. Since 1942, our government has established over 800 military bases in 40 to 60 countries around the world.

The designation of Armistice Day was changed to “Veterans Day” in 1954. Evidently, waging peace is not on the “to-do” list.

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